THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The Commons

• The commons is everywhere around us, both things we can touch and things we cannot touch.

• The Commons is all the cultural and natural resources that are accessible to all members of society

• Air, water, habitable earth…• Controversies over The Commons

– Originally all forests, rivers, grazing land etc..

“The children who have no clean water to drink, the women who fear for their safety, the young people who have no chance to receive a decent education have a right to better, and we have a responsibility to do better. All people have the right to safe drinking water, sanitation, shelter and basic services.”

~Banh Ki Moon

Water must be…

• Sufficient• The water supply for each person must be

sufficient and continuous for personal and domestic uses

• 50-100 litres of water per person per day are needed to ensure most basic needs are met

• Drinking• Sanitation• Washing clothes• Food preparation

Water must be…

• Safe

• The water required for each personal or domestic use must be safe

• Free from micro-organisms, chemical substances and radiological hazards

Water must be…

• Acceptable

• Water should be an acceptable colour, odour and taste for each personal or domestic use

• All water facilities and services must be culturally acceptable

Water must be…

• Physically Accessible

• Everyone has the right to water and santitation that is physically accessible within the household, educational institution and workplace.

• It should not take more than 30 minutes to get to the water source and collect it

Water must be…

• Affordable

• Water and water facilities and services must be affordable for all

• Not more than 3% of household income

• ****Bolivia example

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTKn17uZRAE

Cochabamba, Bolivia

• Town located in the mountains of Bolivia where a huge water war broke out in the early 2000’s

• Bolivia is the poorest country in S. America with over 70% of the population living under the poverty line

• Hyperinflation caused huge problems in the 80’s making them turn to desperate measures

Bolivia Continued…

• Bolivia’s water was privatized and put up for auction to the highest bidder.

• Bechtel, an American country bought it and took over.

• People were paying a quarter of their income on minimal amounts of water and even the water falling in rain was owned by this coorperation.

• Desperate Bolivians hit the streets and began a violent protest.

Water facts

• The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is 6km

• Average water use is 200-300 litres per person per day in Europe and 10 litres per day in parts of Africa

• Unclean water and poor sanitation are the world’s second biggest killer of children

Sample Campaign

• UNICEF Tap Project

• http://tap.unicefusa.org/